EDITORS’ PICKS FOR INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

Better Than Bacon

Delivering the flavor, texture and versatility of sausage in an innovative form, Johnsonville Sausage Strips are rolling out nationwide after a successful 2020 launch in the Midwest. The fully cooked strips, made with premium cuts of pork and containing no MSG, look and cook like bacon but offer smoked-sausage flavor, making them a welcome addition to a range of recipes. They’re available in four flavors: Original, Spicy, Maple and Chorizo. Found in the pre-cooked bacon section of supermarkets, the product line provides a leaner alternative to bacon, with 40% less fat and 30% less sodium, according to USDA data. Further, preparation is quick and convenient, with several heating methods that work for the strips, among them in the oven, on a stovetop, in an air fryer or on a grill. A 12-ounce package of about 12 strips of any variety retails for a suggested $4.99. https://www.johnsonville.com/

On the Boil

The leading U.S. rice company, Riviana Foods Inc., has launched Success Garden & Grains Blends, the first boil-in-bag product to combine high-quality rice with simple ingredients and no added sauces or seasonings. The product line comes in two varieties: White Rice, Black Beans, Corn & Bell Peppers and White Rice, Peas, Carrots & Red Bell Peppers. Packaged in two pre-portioned, BPA-free boil-in bags, the line is ready in just 10 minutes, and offers a no-measure, no-mess cooking experience. Each versatile blend can serve as a stand-alone dish or as a key recipe component. To provide consumers with additional inspiration, chefs at Riviana Foods’ test kitchen have developed recipes using the line, which, along with ingredient mix-ins and seasoning suggestions, appear on Success Garden & Grains Blends packaging. The suggested retail price is $2.19 per 7-ounce box of either variety. https://www.riviana.com/; https://successrice.com/

Savory Sips

Recently launched plant-based food and beverage company Yoi (“good” in Japanese) has brought out one-of-a-kind Probiotic Nut & Seedmilks, tart, subtly flavored beverages crafted in small batches from such simple organic ingredients as almonds, coconut and pumpkin seeds. Company co-founders Ellie Wells and Tosh Nakagawa, both dairy industry vets, were inspired by the ancient art of Japanese fermentation and the concept of ikigai, which Nakagawa describes as “ ‘your reason for being,’ or what gets you out of bed in the morning.” Seeing the opportunity in plant-based products, they decided to bring their knowledge and experience in cultured dairy foods to an emerging category. A 10-ounce bottle of Yoi Probiotic Nut & Seedmilk in Strawberry, Vanilla Bean, Pineapple or Cacao Nib flavors retails for a suggested $4.99, while a large 23-ounce bottle in Plain Unsweetened or Vanilla Bean flavors goes for a suggested $8.99. https://www.yoifresh.com/

Nuts for Chips

Plant-based pioneer Calbee North America Inc., maker of the popular Harvest Snaps brand, has now brought to market San Joaquin Almond Nut Chips, a grain-free tortilla chip line. Made from sustainably grown almonds, cassava flour and simple ingredients, the artisan-crafted snacks are lightly cooked in premium 100% avocado oil to deliver a delicate crunch. The line’s Sea Salt, Hickory Smoked and Wasabi flavors are all certified gluten- and grain-free and kosher, and contain no artificial colors and flavors, corn, or soy. San Joaquin’s name derives from California’s San Joaquin Valley, home to the ideal climate for growing high-quality almonds like those produced by Naraghi Family Farms, from where the almonds used in the snack line are sourced. Naraghi employs such sustainable farming methods as efficient irrigation, solar power, whole orchard recycling, composting, pest and weed management, and enhancing the habitat for pollinating bees. The suggested retail price is $4.99 per 5-ounce/4.5-ounce bag. https://calbeena.com/

Global Inspiration

Reimagined for today’s world, Ferrara brand Famous Amos is now made with premium ingredients from across the globe, among them coconut from the Philippines, chocolate from Belgium, and hazelnuts from the Mediterranean. The Famous Amos Wonders From the World line consists of the brand’s signature bite-size crunchy cookies in three premium varieties: Belgian Chocolate Chips, Philippine Coconut and White Chocolate Chips, and Mediterranean Hazelnut and Chocolate Chips. Further, to reflect the relaunched brand’s cosmopolitan makeover, Famous Amos has refreshed the packaging with location-inspired graphics inviting consumers to enjoy the international offerings. A 7-ounce stand-up pantry bag of any of the cookie varieties retails for a suggested $4.49. https://www.famousamos.com/; http://www.ferrarausa.com

Baby’s First Mixes

The first organic baking mixes created for babies, Happy Family Organics’ Happy Baby Made Simple Baking Mixes are crafted with 100% whole grains, including wheat, oat and amaranth; 0 grams of added sugar; and iron to help support brain development. The convenient mixes can be prepared in five minutes or under, with consumers needing only to pour, stir and cook. Available in two nutritious options, Pancake & Waffle Mix and Apple Carrot & Cinnamon Muffin Mix, the items can also be customized with a halfcup of fresh fruit and veggies such as shredded carrots, mashed bananas or blueberries, or purées. Aware that many families use homemade breakfast foods to help expose babies to new textures and flavors and teach them to feed themselves, but that a lot of busy parents don’t have the time to make these items from scratch, Happy Family has come up with two no-fuss alternatives. Either variety retails for a suggested $4.99 per 8-ounce package. https://www.happyfamilyorganics.com/made-simple-baking-mixes/

Driving the Wedge

Good PLANeT Foods, a creator of premium plant-based allergen-free cheeses, has unveiled first-to-market snackable Plant-Based Cheese Wedges. Crafted with real, sustainable ingredients, including coconut oil and plant proteins, the creamy, convenient wedges are vegan; dairy-, gluten-, soy- and lactose-free; Certified NonGMO; and Keto Certified, and come in Original; spicy, melt-worthy Pepper Jack; and Smoked Gouda varieties. A 4-ounce pack with six individually wrapped wedges of any variety retails for a suggested $4.99. https://goodplanetfoods.com/

Oil to Order

Developed by celebrity chef and restaurateur Brian Malarkey, Chefs Life is a line of cooking oils custom blended for the home chef. Each oil is designed for a specific step in the creation of a dish. Sourced from Spain, Italy, Tunisia, Argentina, Chile, Ukraine, Spain, the United States, Mexico, Turkey and Morocco, the line comes in three varieties: Cooking Oil, a blend of avocado, olive, sunflower and grapeseed oils designed for sautéing, frying, roasting and searing, due to its high smoke point; Blending Oil, a combination of extra-virgin olive, avocado and grapeseed oils created for making salad dressings and baking, because of its mildness; and Finishing Oil, pure extra-virgin olive oil suitable for dipping or drizzling, thanks to its strong, peppery flavor. The idea for creating specific cooking oils for different culinary techniques came to Malarkey amid the pandemic while he was teaching home cooks through virtual cooking classes. A 16.9-ounce bottle of any variety retails for a suggested retail price range of $7.99-$9.99. Further, Chefs Life has teamed up with Golden Rule Charity, a national organization providing relief to restaurant and hospitality employees in need, to donate a portion of all proceeds back to the hospitality industry. https://chefslife.com/ https://www.goldenrulecharity.org/